The 10 Best Cliff Jumping Spots in New York

New York has 15 documented cliff jumping spots on CliffScout, 14 of them community-verified. These are the standouts — ranked by verification, documentation, and community activity, not hype. Every listing links to a full page with photos, heights, and access notes.

1. 1

   Salmon River Falls Verified

   Altmar

   Salmon River Falls is a dramatic 110-foot ledge waterfall in the DEC's Salmon River Falls Unique Area near Altmar, in Oswego County. From Pulaski, take Route 13 to Altmar, turn onto County Route 22 (Cemetery Street), continue… Full guide →

2. 2

   Historic Robert’s Quarry Verified

   Cortlandt Manor · jumps ~30 ft

   An abandoned, flooded stone quarry near Walter Panas High School, now hidden by dense forest. It has steep rock faces with jumps estimated around 20–40+ ft. The water may look clear but quality and submerged hazards are… Full guide →

3. 3

   Buttermilk Falls Verified

   Ithaca · jumps 6–100 ft

   Buttermilk Falls State Park sits on Route 13 south of Ithaca at 106 E. Buttermilk Falls Rd; day-use parking is $10 (cars, April-November) or free with an Empire Pass. From the lot it is a short walk to the lower gorge, where… Full guide →

4. 4

   Peekamoose Blue Hole Verified

   Sundown

   Peekamoose Blue Hole is a deep, glacially clear pool on Rondout Creek in the Catskills' Sundown Wild Forest, one of the Hudson Valley's most iconic swimming holes. Park at the signed Peekamoose Mountain trailhead lot on Route 42… Full guide →

5. 5

   The Oxbows, Cadyville Verified

   Cadyville · jumps 5–45 ft

   The Oxbows is a bend of the Saranac River in Cadyville, Clinton County, reached via Kent Falls Road off Route 3, which dead-ends at parking near the river. Until 2020 jumpers used the historic Oxbow truss bridge here; the county… Full guide →

6. 6

   Wintergreen Park (Canajoharie Falls Gorge) Verified

   Canajoharie

   Wintergreen Park in the village of Canajoharie is a free municipal park built around the Canajoharie Creek gorge. From the upper lot, a 0.75-mile Scenic Trail leads to a deck overlooking 40-foot Wintergreen (Canajoharie) Falls; a… Full guide →

7. 7

   Lake Champlain Cliff Diving Verified

   Essex · jumps 10–80 ft

   This is a lake-facing bluff on the New York shore of Lake Champlain, roughly across the water from the Basin Harbor Club near Ferrisburgh, VT, between Essex and Westport. It's boat-access only in practice - no maintained trail or… Full guide →

8. 8

   Fawn's Leap Verified

   Haines Falls

   Fawn's Leap is a well-documented, roughly 24-foot waterfall and swimming hole on Kaaterskill Creek beside Route 23A in Kaaterskill Clove, between Palenville and Haines Falls in the Town of Hunter. Roadside parking is limited and… Full guide →

9. 9

   High Falls Verified

   High Falls

   High Falls is a real hamlet on the Rondout Creek in Ulster County, straddling Marbletown and Rosendale. The namesake falls, reportedly about 30 feet high and 200 feet wide, sit beside the village along County Route 213. Public… Full guide →

10. 10

    Bear Mountain State Park cliff jump (McCoy Road) Verified

    Highland Falls · jumps ~70 ft

    This unofficial jump spot sits inside Bear Mountain State Park near Fort Montgomery, a few minutes from the Bear Mountain Bridge. From the bridge-area roundabout, follow signs toward West Point/Newburgh, cross the river, turn… Full guide →

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